Other: The crosswalk on Henderson near Templeton school between Driscoll and Wilson continues to be dangerous. We use it daily to and from school with many other kids and routinely have close calls with cars speeding through. I think part of this is foliage blocking the flashers, but would like to also suggest pedestrian flags be provided on both sides of the street. We've used them living in other towns and they are really great. Here's a website that explains their use in another city http://www.kirklandwa.gov/depart/Public_Works/Transportation_and_Traffic/Pedestrian_Flags_-_FAQs.htm
Action underway to trim foliage. Future project expected to reduce speeds. Constituent emailed.
sent email to constituent with the following message: Hi Julie, thanks for taking the time to submit this uReport regarding the crosswalk on Henderson near Templeton. I've contacted our urban forester to discuss trimming the foliage that currently obstructs visibility of the flashing lights - we are hopeful that the tree can be sufficiently trimmed without needing to remove it. Fortunately the flashing lights on the other side of the road are not obstructed. We are also in the early stages of a larger project to enhance school speed limit zones throughout the City. In short, the City's existing school zones are not clearly/logically signed and they require updates to improve visibility and driver compliance. If done properly, I think we could be very effective in reducing motor vehicle speeds in this area before and after school. This crossing on Henderson is on our list of locations and is likely to be prioritized for improvements. This project uses federal safety improvement funds and, as a result, is on an inflexible schedule - construction is likely close to 1.5 years away. I'm familiar with the pedestrian flags and I've heard they can be effective. One of the challenges I've heard about flags is that they tend to disappear. Some cities allow other organizations to provide and replace flags for the crossing. To be upfront, it is unlikely that the City would prioritize this location for a treatment like flags because of the existing infrastructure. With a marked crosswalk, multiple signs, flashing lights, and a median refuge island, this crossing has already received more enhancements than most. Thanks again, hope you're having a good winter break, and please feel free to follow up with questions/comments.